Lighter than air novelty figure

ABSTRACT

A lighter than air floating novelty toy figure include a latex balloon inflated with helium and including facial features to form the head of the novelty figure. Attached to the head of the novelty figure is a light weight body portion which may be supported by a light weight plastic frame. The body can be in the shape of a ghost, a bat, a witch, a scarecrow, and so on. Preferably, the facial features include glow in the dark eyes. This is particularly suited for a kit including a plurality of the above elements, and a tank of helium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Balloons are used in a variety of different ways as decorative items. Expandable balloons primarily made of latex are inexpensive and very light weight. Mylar-type balloons, which do not expand, can be formed in a variety of different shapes and sizes. They can be printed and designed to almost any shape. However, they are expensive. Due to the fact that they are generally not spherical in shape, their buoyant efficiency is reduced. This requires additional helium or other lighter than air gas to maintain buoyancy.

Latex balloons have been used in a variety of different decorative applications such as that disclosed in Zinbarg, et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,434, and 5,672,396 which disclose heavier than air ghost figures that utilize latex balloons. However, these decorative applications have failed to take advantage of the light weight of the latex balloons to provide buoyant decorative articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is premised on the realization that a lighter than air novelty figure can be prepared by utilizing an inflatable latex balloon filled with a lighter than air gas to support a light-weight body member, the head and the body member together form the novelty figure that is tethered to a stationary object.

Further, the present invention is premised on the realization that such a figure can incorporate a light-weight plastic frame draped with a light-weight single-ply film to form the body portion.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is a kit having a tank of helium gas in combination with a plurality of balloons having indicia printed thereon to indicate facial features, and a corresponding number of body members.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in light of the following detailed description and drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the novel eye of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross sectional view taken at lines 2 a of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the eye shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the eye shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third alternate embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the kit of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is a novelty figure or a balloon FIG. 11 which incorporates a balloon head 12, a body 13 which is held down by a string 14. The head 12 includes indicia which would indicate facial features including eyes 16 and a mouth 17. The head 12 is an expandable latex balloon having a neck 18 which provides the opening.

The balloon is a latex balloon which, preferably, will have a diameter of under 24 inches, generally 14 to 18 inches when inflated to approximately 80% of its bursting size. The balloon will be filled with helium or other lighter-than-gas air.

The body 13 of the balloon FIG. 11, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a frame 21 which has a left arm portion 22 and a right arm portion 23. A body portion 24 is supported from the frame 21. The frame 21 is preferably a thin plastic tubular member similar in size and density to a table straw. This is tied to the knotted neck 18 of the balloon. The body portion 24 is simply a single-ply light-weight plastic material. A suitable material for use in the present invention is tulle. Any light-weight material which provides for net buoyancy of the balloon FIG. 11 would be acceptable for use in the present invention.

As shown in the embodiment in FIG. 1, the eyes 16 are adhered directly to the inflated balloon 12. The eye 16, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, includes a sealed casing 26 which holds a first reactive fluid 27 and a frangible capsule 28. Frangible capsule 28 holds a second reaction fluid. The casing 26 is sealed and is sufficiently flexible to allow one to press against the capsule 28 and break it, causing the fluid in the capsule to mix with the fluid 27 in the casing thereby causing the two fluids to react and emit light. Such chemiluminescent materials are very well known. One, for example, is disclosed in Dorney U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,681, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The eye 16 further includes an opaque member 30 which is in the shape of a pupil. This is adhered to, or painted on, a first side 31 of the casing. The back side 34 of the casing includes an adhesive layer 32 covered with a release paper 33. The eye 16 is applied to a balloon by removing the release paper 33 and pressing the adhesive against the surface of the inflated balloon. The balloon 12 can have indicia printed onto the balloon to show where the eyes 16 should be positioned.

The member 30 in the shape of a pupil may be made of a colored, translucent material instead of an opaque material. For example, on an eye, which contains chemiluminescent reagents that produce a yellow colored light, the pupil 30 may be made from a translucent blue plastic film. The yellow light passing through the blue film produces a pupil, which appears to be colored green. It is obvious to one skilled in the art that various combinations of chemiluminescent light color and transparent film color could be used to produce wide variety of interesting and decorative eyes under the present invention.

In addition, translucent plastic material 35 may be placed over a part of the eye 30 to form an eyelid of a different color of or added variety and expression. An example of this is shown in FIG. 2B.

In yet another variation, translucent, light-scattering plastic film 36 may be placed at the edge of the eye 30, slightly overlapping it, to form an eyebrow which is illuminated by light which is picked up from the chemiluminescent source by the light-scattering material. An example of this is shown in FIG. 2C.

Instead of using the chemiluminescent eyes, the eyes can be printed onto the face of the balloon with regular or luminescent ink, or the eyes can be simply paper, stick-on eyes. Likewise, the same structure used to form chemiluminescent eyes can be used to form other facial features, such as ears or mouth.

Alternate embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. As shown in FIG. 3, a bat 39 includes the helium-filled latex balloon 40 which acts as a head portion, a frame member 41 which supports the single-ply body member 42. Also, legs 43 are adhered to the body member 42, providing the appearance of a bat.

FIG. 4 shows a simpler embodiment of a ghost 47 wherein the head portion 48, again a latex balloon filled with helium, supports a single ply of material 49 without any frame member whatsoever.

Finally, FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a ghost 51 wherein the helium-filled latex balloon 52 is attached to a frame member which is also a balloon 53, having the shape of arms 54,55 and wherein the ends of balloon 53 are twisted to provide the appearance of hands 56,57. The body member 58 is simply taped or tied to the neck of the balloon 52 after it is inflated. Arms 54,55 can also be formed from two separate balloons as opposed to one, if desired. The balloon 53 is preferably filled with helium, making it neutrally or positively buoyant.

The present invention is particularly suited for forming a kit 59 which includes a canister of helium 60, a plurality of latex balloons 61 and a plurality of body members 62. Optionally, the balloons can either be preprinted with indicia to show facial features, or can include separate stick-on eyes 63 similar to that shown in FIG. 2A.

One of the benefits of the present invention is that it provides a plurality of characters using a relatively low amount of helium. Typically, the smallest helium canisters contain about 8.9 cubic feet of gas at atmospheric conditions.

The following is a description of four separate balloon figures, their weight and net lift or buoyancy after assembly. This demonstrates the number of figures one such canister of helium can inflate.

Model A

An 18-inch diameter balloon head was tied to a lightweight hollow thermoplastic tube bent into the shape of a “W”. This tubular arm member was 40 inches long before bending and was 3/16 inch in diameter. Attached to the tube with tape was a 1-mil thick white polyethylene sheet cut into the shape of a ghost body and arms. This body film was approximately 3.8 square feet. The balloon head was preprinted with facial features of eyes and a mouth. Over the eyes printed on the balloon are place 2-inch diameter chemiluminescent eyes, which are self-adhesive. Lift of balloon only plus helium 51.1 gms Weights: Eyes 8.6 gms Arm tube 9.4 gms Film body 5.2 gms Net lift after assembly 27.9 gms Approximate floating life 27 hrs Helium usage 1.77 cu. ft Number of ghosts per standard 8.9 cu. ft. helium tank 5

Model B

A figure was made from a 16-inch diameter latex balloon head. Arms and hands were formed from a standard “260Q” balloon which is 2 inches in diameter and 60 inches long when inflated. This arm balloon was inflated with helium to reduce weight. Three fingered hands were twisted on both ends using balloon twisting techniques commonly known in the art. The head balloon was tied to the center of the arm balloon. Each hand was attached to a piece of monofilament nylon line, which was run over the top of the head and secured in place with tape to give arms an upright slant. The body skirt was made from a triangular piece of 1-mil-thick polyethylene approximately 24 inches across with a length of 20 inches. This was attached to the arm balloon with tape. The face was preprinted on the balloon. Two, 2-inch diameter chemiluminescent eyes were adhered to the balloon head after inflation. Lift of balloon only plus helium 36.7 gms Weights: Eyes 8.6 gms Arm (filled with helium) 0 gms Film body 3.0 gms Net lift 25.1 gms Approximate floating life 21 hrs Helium usage (head plus arms) 1.35 cu. ft Number of ghosts per standard 8.9 cu. ft. helium tank 6

Model C

A figure was made with a 16-inch latex balloon head with facial features printed on the balloon. A 1-mil-thick polyethylene skirt was attached to the balloon with tape. This film was cut into a tapered serpentine shape 17 inches across at the top and 60 inches long. There was a V-shaped cut at the top of the film so that it could be attached to the balloon at each end and the center, and, therefore, hung from the center of the balloon. Two self-adhesive 2-inch diameter chemiluminescent eyes were attached to the inflated balloon. Lift of balloon only plus helium 36.7 gms Weights: Eyes 8.6 gms Skirt 3.5 gms Net lift after assembly 24.6 gms Approximate floating life 21 hrs Helium usage 1.24 cu.ft Number of ghosts from standard 8.9 cu. ft. helium tank 7

Model D

A figure was made with an 18-inch latex balloon head with the body made of lightweight white tulle weighing 7.5 gms per sq. ft. The tulle body was 5 feet by 5 feet. The mouth and eyes were preprinted on the balloon. The preprinted eyes were covered with two, 2-inch diameter chemiluminescent eyes. Lift of balloon only plus helium 51.1 gms Weights: Eyes 8.6 gms Tulle body 18.6 gms Net lift after assembly 23.9 gms Approximate floating life 20 hrs Helium usage 1.77 cu. ft Number of ghosts per standard 8.9 cu. ft. helium tank 5

Thus, the present invention can be used to provide a wide variety of different novelty characters such as ghosts, bats, scarecrows, witches, and the like. The glow-in-the-dark facial feature can be in the form of eyes, nose, ears, mouths, or the like, but are most effective as eyes. Further, the novelty figures can be used with a variety of different frame members, either light-weight plastic, balloon frame members, or without frame members whatsoever.

Accordingly, the present invention, which has been previously described should be defined only by the appended claims, 

1. A floating toy figure comprising a head member attached to a body member, the head member comprising a toy latex balloon having facial features on said balloon; said balloon being inflated with a lighter than air gas and being positively buoyant; and said body member comprising a light-weight sheet material extended downwardly away from said balloon wherein said toy figure is positively buoyant.
 2. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 1 further including a frame member attached to a neck of said balloon supporting said body member wherein said body member is a plastic sheet.
 3. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 2 wherein said plastic sheet is a single-ply plastic.
 4. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 2 wherein said body frame member comprises a light-weight plastic tube.
 5. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 2 wherein said frame member comprises an elongated thin balloon.
 6. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 1 wherein said head member comprises a latex balloon having a diameter of 24 inches or less.
 7. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 1 wherein said facial features include eyes and wherein said eyes are adhered to the surface of said balloon.
 8. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 7 wherein said eyes include a chemiluminescent material.
 9. (canceled)
 10. (canceled)
 11. (canceled)
 12. A kit comprising a tank containing helium under pressure adapted to fill latex balloons; a plurality of latex balloons, said latex balloons including facial features; and a plurality of body members adapted to attach to a neck of said balloons said body members comprising plastic sheets wherein each said balloon, when inflated with helium to approximately 80% of its burst size, has sufficient buoyancy to support said balloon and one body member.
 13. The kit claimed in claim 12 further comprising a plurality of stick on chemiluminescent eyes.
 14. The floating toy figure claimed in claim 1 further comprising a separate tether holding said floating toy figure. 